Bill Care RPT

Variety and versatility

April 20th 2005

Reviewed by Malcolm Martin

An experienced turner from Suffolk, Bill Care made a number of items and imparted many interesting methods and techniques during an enjoyable evening.

He effectively demonstrated the great versatility of the skew chisel, using it to rough out, smooth to a finish and make a variety of mouldings. He prefers to use a skew with some mass to it. He then turned an off-centre cabriole leg for a stool. He offset both ends to achieve the shape using a round skew and spindle gouges.

From a piece of 3in square x 4in long dry boxwood he made a box with an onion-shape finial. After roughing to shape it was mounted in a chuck, finished, shaped, sanded and polished. Then the finial top was parted from the body. Bill quickly removed the inside of the box using a spindle gouge with the sides ground back, using a shear cutting action. Finally he formed a close-fitting opening for the lid which he inserted while he completed the outside of the box.

Bill then demonstrated how one can use purpose made wooden chucks to aid the mass production of items such as door knobs. The evening was concluded with the rapid manufacture of a bottle stopper for which he said he could never find a use. In his experience, a bottle was either full or empty!

Colin contemplating a new Henry Taylor Gouge

Gregory Moreton is now bringing a basic range of Henry Taylor tools along to club nights. These are on sale at 25% off retail which is roughly the same prices as Axminster power tools.

As a usefull extra many of these tools have been reground to more usable profiles and are not in the straight across grind that many tools come with off the shelf. Gregory is usually on hand to help out with questions on sharpening and the use of the various tools so take advantage of his knowledge and get all the free advice you want.